Singers, musicians, bands and event organisers will be brought to the “doorstep” of music fans for the first time in many parts of the country under the new Scotland on Tour initiative.
Shows are expected to breathe new life into smaller venues and under-utilised spaces the length and breadth of the country.
Scotland on Tour will effectively create a new touring map encompassing more than 100 different locations, including Glenelg and Arisaig, in the West Highlands, Aboyne and Braemar, in Aberdeenshire, and Findhorn, in Moray.
The initiative, which was developed by the Glasgow-based agency Active Events while prolonged lockdown curbs were in place in Scotland, will allow shows to be staged in brand new venues and parts of the country which are often left off touring schedules for financial reasons.
It is aimed at helping the music industry overcome problems caused by a huge backlog of concerts postponed since the start of the pandemic, boost rural economies and reduce the need for audiences to travel long distances.
Initially announced in August last year, Scotland on Tour invited applications for funding for gigs across Scotland. Creative Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, XpoNorth and South of Scotland Enterprise were all represented on the decision-making panel.